KansasFest

KansasFest is the world's only annual convention dedicated to the Apple II computer that revolutionized the personal computing industry. Held every year in Kansas City, Missouri, KansasFest invites hobbyists, retrocomputing enthusiasts, and diehard aficionados to gather from all corners of the world. Hackers, programmers, users, gamers, and curious observers come from Hawaii, Massachusetts, Florida, England, Australia, Japan, and many other places by plane, train, bicycle, and Vespa. What do they do once they're at KansasFest? Attendees build, buy, sell, and swap hardware, including Ethernet cards, CompactFlash adaptors, and replacement floppy drives. They code well into the night to compete in the annual HackFest. They give presentations on everything from overlooked software gems to new product demonstrations to emulating the Apple II on modern cell phones. They wander from room to room, checking out and showing off each other's setups, chatting with old friends and making new ones, ordering pizza and making 3 AM trips to Denny's and watching movies like WarGames. KansasFest is about a computer and a camaraderie unlike anything else. The Apple II attracts people of a certain mindset and spirit who exhibit a rare creativity, resilience, dedication, history, and nonconformity. The Apple II has lasted for more than 30 years, and the friendships and memories made at KansasFest will last even longer.